Stretching and holding tool for wire fences.



C. M. HIMES.

STRETCHING AND HOLDING TOOL FOR WIRE FENCES.

APPLICATION FILED AU.14, 1914.

1,151,013. Patented Aug. 24,1915.

WWI /Mb fVKVmZZM couuvuau PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINOTON. u. c.

CHARLES M. HIMES, 0F COVINGTON, 01-110.

STRETCHING AND HOLDING TOOL FOR WIRE FENCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 24, 1915.

Application filed August 14, 1914. Serial No. 856,864.

To all whom it only concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HIMns, a citizen of the United States, residing at (I-ovington, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stretching and Holding Tools for Wire Fences, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to stretching and holding tools for wire fences, and is designed more particularly for stretching and holding fence wire to metal or concrete posts while such wire is being Wrapped about the same and fastened.

In building wire fences of various kinds, it is necessary to stretch the fence to take up the slack. To do this, one end of the fence wire is fastened at one end to one of the end posts of the fence and is stretched taut and then fastened to the other end post. To accomplish this it is customary to use a large stretching tool which. comprises a. clamp to grasp the fence wire, and which is anchored to the end post opposite the one to which the fence is fastened.

The character of this stretcher is such that the clamp cannot be moved close to the end post, but is usually spaced away from that post several feet, at the end of the stretching operation. If the fence is to retain its tension, it is necessary that the slack in this end portion of the fence, between the clamp and the anchor post, should be taken up. To do this it has been customary to provide a special anchor post arranged beyond the end posts of the fence to which the stretcher is anchored. This, however, involve much work and is unsatisfactory for other reasons.

Where wooden posts are used, it is comparatively easy to stretch the end portion of the wire with a small hand tool and then staple it to the post, but where metal or concrete posts are used the wire i wrapped around the post and the free end then twisted about the body of the wire to fasten it, and it has been found very difficult to stretch the wire and hold it while this operation is being performed.

The object of the invention is to provide a tool by means of which the wire may be grasped and firmly held about the. post while its end is being twisted about the body portion thereof; to so construct such a tool that it will not interfere with the twisting of the end of the wire about the body port1on thereof; and further, to provide such a device which will also have a stretching action and will serve to take up a certain amount of slack in the wire which is being acted upon.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which is reversible and can be used on either side of the post.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a section of fence includ ing the end portion of the wire fencing and the end post to which the fencing is partially fastened; Fig. 2 is a top, plan view of the holding tool showing it in operative engagement with the wire and showing the end post in section; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tool.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of mv invention and have shown the same in use with one kind of wire fencing, but it will be understood that this embodiment of the invention is chosen forv the purpose of illustration and, further, that this particular embodiment, or other embodiments of the invention may be used with Various kinds of wire fencing.

The particular fencing illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a series of longitudinal wires, 1, connected one to the other by vertical wires 2. After the fencing has been stretched the ends of the longitudinal wires 1 are wrapped about an end post 3 and the end thereof twisted about the body of the wire, as shown at the top and bottom of the end post in Fig. 1. The line posts and braces for the end post have been omitted from the present drawings for the sake of clearness, but these may be of any suitable construction and have nothing to do with the present invention. The fence in Fig. l is shown as held in its stretched position by means of the stretching implement which comprises a clamping device 4 rigidly secured to the longitudinal wires 1 of the fencing at a point removed from the end thereof. Connected with this clamping device is a chain 5 adapted to be engaged by a stretching lever 6 which is connected by a second chain 7 with the end post 3. This stretching implement is of a well known type and need not be further described. It is sufficient for the purpose of the present description that this device will stretch the fencing and hold it in its stretched condition While the ends are being fastened.

It will be noted, however, that there is a considerable stretch of wire between the clamping device 4 and the end post 3. These fencing wires are heavy and rather difficult to handle and it requires considerable power to take the slack out of them. Consequently,

it is not practical to stretch the wire between the clamping device and the'post by hand. I

shaped devices 10, these devices being arranged on opposite sides of the jaw S and mounted on a common axis. \Vhen the fenc ing is in the condition shown in Fig. '1 the hooks 10 are placed about the end post, being arranged, respectively, above and below the wire to be stretched, the serrated face of the gripping jaw is brought into engagement with the wire, either before or after it has been bent about the post, and movement imparted to-the lever 9 to cause the wire to be gripped between the jaw and the post, thus firmly holding the wire against endwise movement. If desired, the tool may be employed in connection with a stretching tool but it in itself will stretch the wire to a certain extent, which is not infrequently sufficient to take up the slack between the clamping member and the post. This stretching action is due to'the fact that the post is comparatively smooth and will permit the wire to slip about the same when a lengthwise'pull is applied thereto by the movement of the jaw S. l/Vhen the tool has been moved to its holding'position the end of the wire, which projects beyond the end of the jaw, may be grasped with a pair of pliers and twisted about the body of the wire. The two hook shaped members being spaced apart and being of relatively small diameter do not interfere with the twisting of the end of the wire about the body portion thereof. After the twisting operation has been completed the tool is removed by simply relieving the pressure on the handle and removing the hooks from the post. The operation is very simple of performance and easily and quickly accomplished. The device is reversible, that is, it can be used "either side up and thus operated from either side of the post, which is important in this class of work. If desired, the books 10 may be adjustably secured to the jaw 8 so as to accommodate the device to posts of different diameters, and, in the present instance, this adjustment is secured by providing a'plurality of bolt holes 11 to enable the hooks to be mounted on the aw at different points. I

\Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purpose of illustration only and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will o'c'cur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully describedmy invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is

1.- A device of the character described comprising a handle, hook like devices pivotally secured to said handle and adapted toengage a post above and below a wire which is to be held, said devices having their outer portions unconnected andspacedapart form a fulcrum there-for'and adapted to engage said post above and below; said wire,

said devices having their post engaging faces smooth and having their outer portions unconnected and spaced apart to re ceive said w1re betweenthem.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature j in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M.- HIMES. lVitnesses I 'R. S. VAN HIsE, W. BUTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

1 1 Washington, D. C. 

